Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Maxey, Celtics, Bassey
When the Sixers put together a big three of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, they had a vision that looked something like the team’s Saturday win over the Hornets, Tony Jones writes for The Athletic.
Embiid, George, and Maxey combined for 81 points, 26 rebounds, and nine three-pointers in the victory, with George submitting possibly his best game as a Sixer. Beyond the counting stats, Jones writes, it was evident how the skill sets of the three stars complement each other.
Most importantly, Jones notes, this was a rare example of the trio shining together in a high-stakes game. Philadelphia is battling for playoff positioning and this win gave the team the season tiebreaker over Charlotte, in addition to the tiebreakers it already held over Toronto and Orlando.
With the Sixers just a half-game behind the Hawks and Raptors for a top-six playoff spot, those edges could turn out to be massively important at season’s end.
We have more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Maxey was able to return to the Sixers quicker than anticipated from the tendon injury in his finger that was supposed to sideline him for at least three weeks, thanks in large part to his diligence in the rehab process, Gina Mizell writes for the Inquirer. “I’ve been working my tail off,” Maxey said. “And I want to be there for my team, so I was there.” As Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN adds, the team knew the importance of the game in terms of standings, which prompted Maxey to push himself to play his best ball despite the lengthy absence. “I let the game come to me at the beginning,” said Maxey. “Everybody was like, ‘Dude, all right. We know you just got back. Come on, let’s play.’ And I was like, ‘I got you.‘”
- Jaylen Brown is out for Sunday’s game against the Hornets on Sunday with left Achilles tendinitis, per the Celtics (via Twitter). Derrick White, who was listed as questionable with a right knee contusion, has also been downgraded to out (Twitter link). In their place, Jordan Walsh and Payton Pritchard will start alongside Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe notes (via Twitter).
- Charles Bassey, on his second 10-day contract, has only made two brief appearances for the Celtics entering Sunday’s game, but he already feels comfortable with the organization, Noa Dalzell writes for CelticsBlog. “When the coach says, ‘Okay, there’s optional stuff, but you don’t [have to] come in’, everybody still shows up,” Bassey said. “That just helps the team grow, and helps build connection with the team. Guys are just coming in ready to work every day, regardless if it’s optional — you got to show up. They’re always in the gym, they’re always in the practice facility, so they put in the work. Me coming in and seeing that, it’s fun.” Bassey observed that playing for Boston’s Summer League last July helped familiarize him with the teammates and coaching staff, which has allowed for a smoother transition than might otherwise have occurred.
Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey Returns Saturday
The Sixers announced (via Twitter) that Tyrese Maxey will return to action for Saturday’s game at Charlotte, which carries huge stakes in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The All-Star guard will be back on the court after missing the past 10 games with a tendon injury in his right pinkie finger. The team stated on March 10 that Maxey would be reevaluated in three weeks, so he was able to return slightly ahead of schedule.
Having Maxey back on the court will be a huge addition for the seventh-place Sixers, who are fighting to escape the play-in tournament at 40-33. Philadelphia is only one game away from moving up to fifth, but is just a game-and-a-half ahead of 10th-place Miami.
Before the injury, Maxey was in the midst of his best NBA season, topping the Sixers in scoring at 29 points per game and leading the league in both minutes played (38.3) and steals (2.0) per contest. He’s also averaging 6.7 assists per game while posting .461/.373/.893 shooting numbers and has formed one of the league’s best young backcourts alongside rookie VJ Edgecombe.
Tonight will be Maxey’s 62nd game of the season, so he’ll only need to appear in three of the final eight to reach the 65-game requirement to qualify for postseason awards. He’s a strong candidate for All-NBA honors after being named Most Improved Player in 2023/24 and finishing tied for 10th in the Clutch Player balloting last season.
Maxey’s return will force Quentin Grimes back to a reserve role after he started the past 12 games he has played. Cameron Payne and Justin Edwards could also see their playing time reduced.
Injury Notes: Oubre, Maxey, Edwards, Brown, Lakers, Jazz, Suns
After missing the Sixers‘ last eight games due to a left elbow sprain, forward Kelly Oubre Jr. said today that he’ll be back in action on Saturday in Charlotte, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.
With Paul George and Joel Embiid both having returned earlier this week, Philadelphia is close to being back to full strength — only star guard Tyrese Maxey, out since March 7 due to a finger injury, remains sidelined, and he’s due to be reevaluated in the coming days.
Head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Friday that Maxey has been “a lot more involved” in activities during the past 48 hours, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Nurse added that Maxey has been diligent about keeping up his conditioning during his recovery process, which suggests he shouldn’t require much of a ramp-up period.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome) will miss a sixth straight game on Saturday vs. Detroit, per the team (Twitter link). However, Edwards has been cleared for on-court practice activities, according to the Wolves, which suggests his return may not be far off. In order to meet the 65-game minimum to qualify for end-of-season awards, Edwards would have to suit up for each of Minnesota’s final eight games of the season, beginning on Monday.
- Celtics star Jaylen Brown has been ruled out for Friday’s game vs. Atlanta due to left Achilles tendinitis, the team announced (via Twitter). Brown, an All-NBA lock, needs to appear in one more game to reach the 65-game threshold and become eligible for end-of-season awards.
- Lakers teammates Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Rui Hachimura (calf) have both been upgraded to available after initially being listed as questionable for Friday’s matchup with the Nets, tweets NBA reporter Mark Medina.
- Although Jaren Jackson Jr. is still expected to miss the rest of the season, he’s making good progress in his recovery from a procedure to remove a non-cancerous growth in his left knee. He has resumed individual on-court work and will be reevaluated in two weeks, writes Kevin Reynolds of The Salt Lake Tribune. Reynolds also checks in on a few other injured Jazz players, suggesting that forward Lauri Markkanen (hip) and Keyonte George (hamstring) could still return before the end of the season.
- Injured Suns Dillon Brooks (hand) and Mark Williams (foot) are making progress in their respective injury recoveries, but they’ve yet to participate in any 5-on-5 work, head coach Jordan Ott said today (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).
Tyrese Maxey To Be Reevaluated In Three Weeks With Finger Injury
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has been diagnosed with a tendon injury in his right pinkie and will be reevaluated in three weeks, Shams Charania reports for ESPN (Twitter link).
Maxey sustained the injury during Saturday’s game against the Hawks and consequently underwent imaging and consultations with specialists, as Charania notes.
The Sixers are currently without Maxey’s co-stars, Joel Embiid and Paul George, and have struggled of late, losing nine of their last 14 games and falling to eighth in the East heading into Tuesday’s action. Embiid will have his strained oblique evaluated this week, while George is still a couple weeks away from returning from his 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
Maxey has been having a career year, making his second All-Star game while averaging 29.0 points and 6.7 assists per game, both of which are personal bests. He is set to miss at least 11 games, which could put his end-of-year awards eligibility in danger. He needs to make at least four more appearances to reach the 65-game minimum.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, MPJ, Nets, Dick, Murray-Boyles
The shorthanded Sixers continued to tumble down the Eastern Conference standings with Monday’s loss in Cleveland, but they haven’t given up hope of turning things around, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Philadelphia is currently in eighth place after dropping four of its last five games, and the schedule doesn’t ease up this week. However, players continue to believe things will improve once the stars get back on the court.
“We have, what, four of our five starters out?” Justin Edwards said. “We know that we have a chance when we have all of our guys.”
Joel Embiid, who has only played twice in the past month due to a strained right oblique, will be reevaluated after Tuesday’s game, according to Jones. Tyrese Maxey, who suffered a finger sprain over the weekend, wore a splint on Monday and will consult with a specialist later this week, coach Nick Nurse told reporters. Star rookie VJ Edgecombe continues to recover from a lumbar contusion, while Paul George has two weeks remaining on his 25-game suspension.
“We have to play hard, and we have to make more shots,” Cameron Payne said. “We have to do a better job of creating better shots for each other. That’s important for us. We need to go 1-0 every day. That’s the goal. We obviously are where we are in the standings, so we have to find a way to win. At the end of the day, that means getting stops and for us to keep playing together.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets face a major decision this summer on Michael Porter Jr., Brian Lewis of The New York Post notes in a subscriber-only piece. Porter, who has cooled down after a sensational first half of the season, will be eligible for an extension, and general manager Sean Marks will have to determine whether he’s worth a major investment or if it’s wiser for Brooklyn to get whatever it can in a trade. Sources have told Lewis that Porter has discussed his future with Marks and would like to remain with the Nets. Porter, who sat out Monday’s game, talked about his focus for the remainder of the season. “The motivation to make the playoffs might not be there,” he said, “but the motivation individually — as a player, as a person, to go out there and work on my skills, my leadership skills, and my individual things within the team — that’s still there. So, you can’t just throw away a season because you’re not making the playoffs.”
- Both teams were shorthanded as the Nets defeated Memphis on Monday. The victory dropped Brooklyn to fourth in the lottery race, but players said they’re focused on trying to be successful rather than tanking, Lewis adds in a separate story. “We’re trying to win every game,” Day’Ron Sharpe said. “Nobody likes losing. So just always trying to win and always bring good energy.”
- Eric Koreen of The Athletic considers whether the Raptors should part with Gradey Dick this summer, the long-term future for Collin Murray-Boyles and other topics in a mailbag column.
Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey To Miss At Least Two Games
Sixers star guard Tyrese Maxey will miss at least the team’s next two games, The Athletic’s Tony Jones tweets.
Maxey was diagnosed with a sprain of the right fifth finger. He’ll be reevaluated after the Sixers play at Cleveland on Monday and host Memphis on Tuesday.
It’s relatively good news regarding Maxey, who suffered the injury during a collision with teammate Adem Bona late in Saturday’s game against Atlanta. There were concerns that he might have done more damage to the finger, which would have sidelined him for a much longer period.
The Sixers are in a spirited battle for the sixth playoff spot in the East, which would advance them to the first round and allow them to avoid battling for the seventh or eighth seed in the play-in tournament.
Maxey, who’s coming off his second All-Star appearance, is in the midst of his best season. He’s posting career highs with 28.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 46% from the field and 37.2% from three-point range. He’s also leading the league in minutes at 38.3 per night and has been a steady presence for a team that’s been plagued by injuries and other issues throughout the season.
Further Testing Set For Sunday On Tyrese Maxey’s Finger
Sixers star Tyrese Maxey underwent X-rays after hurting his right hand in a collision with teammate Adem Bona late in Saturday’s game (Twitter video link).
Sources told Tony Jones of The Athletic that there was nothing conclusive in the imaging and additional tests on Maxey’s finger will be conducted on Sunday (Twitter link). Jones adds that Maxey didn’t have a wrap on his hand after the game and appeared to be “in good spirits” (Twitter link).
Losing Maxey for any length of time would be devastating for Philadelphia, which dropped into eighth place in the East with tonight’s loss at Atlanta. The Sixers are only a half-game away from sixth place and an automatic playoff spot, but they’re also just one-and-a-half games ahead of the Hawks and two-and-a-half in front of the Hornets.
Maxey, who’s coming off his second All-Star appearance, is in the midst of his best season. He’s posting career highs with 28.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 46% from the field and 37.2% from three-point range. He’s also leading the league in minutes at 38.3 per night and has been a steady presence for a team that’s been plagued by injuries and other issues throughout the season.
Joel Embiid missed his fourth straight game tonight, and his ninth of the last 11, due to a strained right oblique. He won’t be reevaluated for several more days and is expected to remain sidelined at least through Thursday.
Kelly Oubre Jr. was able to return tonight after sitting out two games with an illness, but rookie guard VJ Edgecombe missed his second straight game with a lumbar contusion. Paul George is still serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy and can’t return until March 25.
Anthony Edwards, Jalen Duren Named Players Of The Week
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been named the Western Conference’s Player of the Week, while Pistons center Jalen Duren has claimed the award in the East, the NBA announced on Monday (via Twitter).
Edwards, who was named to his fourth straight All-Star team this season, helped Minnesota go 3-0 in a trio of road games played from February 23 – March 1. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 28.7 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals on .457/.357/.667 shooting in those three appearances (37.7 minutes per game).
Duren, a first-time All-Star in 2025/26, helped guide Detroit to a 3-1 record last week. The 22-year-old big man averaged 25.8 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG in 34.0 MPG. He shot 63.9% from the field and 73.5% on free throws over the four games.
According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Saddiq Bey (Pelicans), Luka Doncic (Lakers), Kevin Durant (Rockets) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder).
Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Duren’s teammate Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuminga (Hawks), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Brandon Miller (Hornets) were nominated in the East.
Anthony Edwards Named 2026 All-Star MVP
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was named All-Star MVP after his team – the USA Stars – defeated the rival U.S. squad – USA Stripes – 47-21 in the All-Star championship game. It’s Edwards’ first All-Star MVP award and his third All-Star appearance overall.
The first three games of the All-Star game rewarded the choice of format, with all three matchups decided by one possession.
In game one between USA Stars and Team World, Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) set the tone early, recording 14 points and three blocks while his teammate Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) contributed 10 points. Edwards led the Stars attack with 13 points, but it was Scottie Barnes (Raptors) who knocked down the game-winning three-pointer, completing a comeback to defeat his head coach, Darko Rajakovic, who was coaching Team World.
After the game, Edwards credited Wembanyama for doing what he said he would and amping up the intensity on the floor for everyone.
Game two between the two American teams also came down to the final shot, as Jaylen Brown (Celtics) led USA Stripes in scoring while Edwards and Cade Cunningham (Pistons) paced USA Stars with 11 points apiece. De’Aaron Fox (Spurs) hit the game-winning three-pointer for the Stars.
In game three, Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) took over for his home crowd, scoring 31 points in 12 minutes on 11-of-13 shooting while Wembanyama kept Team World in it with 19 points of his own. Leonard iced the game with a three-pointer over Towns to take USA Stripes to the championship game in a rematch with USA Stars.
In the fourth and final game, USA Stripes’ older legs appeared worn down by the previous two contests and the younger stars ran out to a 12-1 lead, led by Edwards and Tyrese Maxey (Sixers), who finished with a game-high nine points. They pushed the lead up to 26-9 on an Edwards three-pointer and eventually went on a 15-0 run, as Jalen Brunson (Knicks) and LeBron James (Lakers) were the only players to hit a field goal over the first seven minutes for USA Stripes. Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) finished the game with a team-high six points for USA Stripes.
Damian Lillard Wins Three-Point Contest
Damian Lillard isn’t playing this season while recovering from a torn Achilles, but his jumper was still sharp enough to win Saturday’s three-point contest at All-Star Weekend, writes Dan Woike of The Athletic. Appearing on an NBA court for the first time since he suffered the injury last April 27, the Trail Blazers guard sank 10 straight shots at one point during the final round to defeat Devin Booker and rookie Kon Knueppel.
It’s Lillard’s third victory in the past four years and it ties him with Larry Bird and Craig Hodges, the only other three-time champs in the history of the contest, which began in 1986.
“Every day I’m up early in the morning warming up and shooting the ball, off the dribble, catch-and-shoot, every style of shot you can shoot. I’m shooting them every day, hundreds of ’em,” Lillard said. “So I knew that this would not be an issue for me. I can’t say I knew that I would win ’cause you just never know. But I knew I would be able to be strong out there and have a chance. I came in confident.”
Lillard was a surprise inclusion in the field of eight contestants because of the injury and his long layoff. He jokingly told a league official that he was ready to go, and he later got the opportunity when another competitor dropped out.
“It felt like a game for me,” Lillard said. “Coming into it, I was like, I don’t know if you can compete harder at a three-point shootout, but I definitely cared more. I didn’t come in, ‘Oh, it is what it is.’ I was like, ‘No, I’m trying to win.’”
Woike notes that the favorite of the L.A. crowd was Heat guard Norman Powell, who spent three years with the Clippers before being traded last summer. Powell scored 23 points in the first round before being eliminated along with Donovan Mitchell, Jamal Murray, Tyrese Maxey and Bobby Portis.
“I just ran a little bit of time,” Powell said, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel (subscription required). “I slowed myself down a little too much, because last year I was sped up and going through the course too fast, so kind of said I’m gonna calm down, relax. and take my time with my shots. But, in the end, I ran a little bit of time.”
Second-year Heat forward Keshad Johnson won the Slam Dunk Contest, defeating Carter Bryant in the finals. Jaxson Hayes and Jase Richardson were eliminated in the first round.
The Shooting Stars competition went to the Knicks‘ contingent of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Allan Houston, along with their celebrity passer, assistant coach Rick Brunson.